


Works of Poetry

by championofnone



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-10
Updated: 2015-03-10
Packaged: 2018-03-17 04:45:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3515822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/championofnone/pseuds/championofnone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's reading night, and it's raining. It couldn't really be a much better night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Works of Poetry

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> Birthday gift for a friend and wonderful artist :>

It had been raining for the past several hours, alternating between sheets of rain with driving wind to a light drizzle, just heavy enough to water the gardens of Hightown. 

It also happened to be reading night at the Hawke estate. A roaring fire was going in the hearth as Fenris went through the Champion’s bookshelves, ignoring the raunchy books Isabela had added and throwing pages of a manifesto into a pile to add to the flames. Hawke himself was busy doing…well, something. Knowing the man, likely trying to hound his mabari out of the storm and back inside.

A book with gold trimming around the binding caught his attention, and he pulled it as he heard the back door of the mansion slam shut, followed by high-pitched whining. 

"No, you’re staying here until you dry off!" Hawke’s voice boomed across the house. His mabari whined again, more pitiful this time. "I said no. You reek of rain and grass. Dry off."

Fenris smiled, sitting in front of the fire and beginning to page through the book as Hawke entered the library, trying to dry off with a towel as much as he could. “Maker, he could’ve picked a better day to go traipsing around the garden.”

"He follows your example," Fenris said dryly.

Hawke snorted. “You wound me, truly.” He threw the towel at some corner of the room and settled behind Fenris, arms wrapping around the warrior’s waist and leaning his head on his shoulder. “And what shall we be reading tonight?”

"I wanted to try reading this out loud, if I may." Hawke nodded, kissing his cheek before setting back on his shoulder. Fenris leaned back, soaking up the heat Hawke always seemed to produce even after being out in the pouring rain.

Fenris took a breath before beginning. “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach, when feeling out of sight. For the ends of Being and ideal Grace, I love thee to the level of everyday’s most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.”

Hawke’s grip tightened. “Fenris-“

"Please, let me finish."

"…alright." 

"I love thee freely, as men strive for right. I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. I love thee with the passion put to use in my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith." Fenris brought one hand up from the book to lace his fingers with Hawke’s as he read and the man at his back swallowed audibly. "I love thee with a love I seemed to lose with my lost saints; I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life - and, if the Maker choose, I shall but love thee better after death."

Hawke buried his face into Fenris’s shoulder after the last line of the poem, taking a rather ragged breath. “Hawke? Are you alright?”

"I’m." He let out a breathy laugh, beard tickling the other man’s neck and gripping Fenris’s hand tight. "I’m more than alright, Fenris."

Fenris set the book aside and turned to face his lover, lifting his face up with his hands, callused fingers lingering over cheekbones until he threaded his hands into dark hair. “I will assume I chose well, tonight.”

Hawke smiled at him, eyes shining. He leaned forward, kissing Fenris on the cheek. “Quite well. Who knew you could be such a romantic? Surely Aveline didn’t teach you.”

Fenris hummed, moving Hawke’s face so he could kiss the man properly. “Of course not. I…am not always the best with words, Hawke. This felt appropriate instead.” 

The Champion’s smile had turned into a full grin, peppering light kisses along Fenris’s cheeks as his hand rubbed circled on his lower back. “Any other surprises for tonight?”

"Just one."

” _Just_ one?”

"Do not get greedy, Hawke."

He laughed. “I would  _never_.” 

Fenris bumped Hawke’s forehead lightly with his own in mock reprimand before speaking again. “‘In that book which is my memory…on the first page that is the chapter when I first met you appear the words, ‘here begins a new life.’” He refused to let Hawke look away, holding his face gently in place. “It…is one of the most true things I have ever read. Everything changed when I met you.”

Hawke kissed him, wrapping his arms firmly around Fenris as his went around Hawke’s shoulders to stay steady. “I love you, to an absurd degree,” Hawke finally said as they broke apart. “I feel stupid with it sometimes.”

"It is said love turns one into a fool. I suppose it is best we are fools together, then."

"I suppose it is." 


End file.
